The Do’s And Don’ts Of Carpet Care And Maintenance 

Although their purpose isn’t as straightforward as a door or a roofing system, carpets are still valuable to any household. Given how many kinds of fabric are used in making each one, all carpets prioritize one goal: comfort. Without one, the residents would feel extremely bothered and inconvenienced during the cold months. Moreover, they offer some security for furniture placed on smooth floorings, such as laminate or tile.

But considering how much traffic they get; carpets often fall victim to wear and tear. Hence, the longer they’re used, the more likely they’ll lose the qualities that make them effective. However, if they still have a chance to be restored, specialists such as Summit Facility Services know exactly what to do. Sadly, that window rarely gets any bigger, especially if the carpet is already worse for wear.

How To Care And Maintain Carpets

To avoid reaching that point, it’s better to apply constant care and maintenance techniques for your carpet. That way, even though there’s already a predetermined lifespan, these techniques can help surpass expectations. Neglecting to do them will end up in you replacing them constantly after only a few months in your household.

1. Do Vacuum Regularly

Considering how many people are walking all over it, the quantity of dirt your carpet picks up is far from surprising. Having too much dirt can only promise bad things for the residents. All sorts of bacteria thrive from dirt. Allowing it to accumulate over time will turn your carpet into the ideal breeding ground for unsavory living organisms. Vacuuming sucks up dirt thoroughly and prevents the residents from getting sick due to allergens or any sickness they carry.

But as crucial as it is to vacuum frequently, failing to do it properly will only do more harm than good. Since carpets are manufactured differently using various fabrics, they must be treated appropriately. Otherwise, using the wrong vacuum settings would risk damaging the carpet instead of cleaning it from any dirt build-up.

2. Do Read the Labels

Spills and stains can result from all kinds of substances. Since each substance is different, every single one must be handled properly. Otherwise, that stain will stay on your carpet and keep bothering you until it’s on its last thread. Not only that but failing to clean them also leaves your carpet susceptible to wear even faster, especially if more keeps piling on one after another.

Fortunately, there are specific chemicals engineered for their respective substance. For example, stains left behind by vomit or urine have an awful stench clinging on. To eliminate those foul-smelling contaminants, use a commercial cleaning solution since they’re water-based stains. But if you’re unable to identify what kind of stain appeared on your carpet and you need to get rid of it quickly, wiping it with water is your safest option to remove most of the stain.

Granted, countless DIY solutions cropped up over time since most of them are affordable and safer alternatives than chemicals. However, throwing baking soda solution at every stain you see is the last thing you’d consider productive. Before applying any DIY solution, do your research to know which ingredients are suitable for specific stains.

3. Do Wear Appropriate Footwear

People track dirt everywhere, even though it’s not on purpose. Practice taking off your shoes when coming inside the house, regardless of whether it’s yours or another’s unless stated otherwise by the homeowner. But if the thought of going barefoot or only wearing socks doesn’t sound palatable, have a pair of slippers dedicated to indoors. That way, you can keep dirt levels at the barest minimum.

4. Do Frequent Rotation

Regardless of what kind of fabric your carpet has, it’s still prone to having indents and worn patches to form. Aside from being stepped on, heavy furniture is placed on top of them. Eventually, carpets will end up getting crushed beneath them.

For the carpet to retain its lifespan, reposition your furniture and carpet regularly, preferably every few months. That way, you can vacuum the hidden area, prolonging the fibers’ volume and cleaning them from any build-up to prevent permanent damage. Granted, the outcome isn’t as obvious as deep cleaning a carpet. But doing so will extend its lifespan while still looking good as new.

5. Do Smooth Out Wrinkles

Even the smallest crease or wrinkle can cause enough damage to ruin the entire carpet. Since not all carpets can be removed so easily, your best course of action is to iron them out on the floor. To do that, dampen a towel and place it on the wrinkle. Press it down with a hot iron for the contact to emit steam. Enough heat will be produced to smooth out the carpet. But if creases are left behind, dampen the towel and repeat the process all over again.

6. Do Checkups

As refreshing as water is, it can turn into a huge headache when it’s unwanted since it gets into any nook and cranny in its way. Even if there’s no storm or a broken pipe beforehand, be vigilant when checking your carpets. There’s no telling when it got wet by accident. As long as there’s the slightest hint of the moisture trapped within the carpet, mold and mildew will surely form.

Thankfully, mold found in carpets isn’t as troublesome as the effects of leaving it there. After staunching the source of the water, apply a mold remover solution to the affected area. But if you can’t find a solution, mix dishwashing liquid and baking soda until they turn into a paste. Then, treat the mold with it.

7. Do Invest in Floor Furnishing

Aside from carefully choosing a carpet, another thing you must consider is other floor furnishings. Doormats go hand-in-hand with carpet owners everywhere. Placing one inside each door leading from outside will minimize the chances of getting any dirt in the house.

What You Shouldn’t Do To Carpets

Considering how many things are needed to be done, it only makes sense for carpets to have just as many rules about things you’re not supposed to do to them. Otherwise, you’ll risk compromising their quality and indoor home quality down the road.

1. Don’t Leave Spills and Stains

Adding one safety measure after another won’t stop accidents entirely. Because of pure coincidence or clumsiness, spillage is one of the most common accidents in a household. But even though you can do nothing to stop someone from spilling something, that doesn’t mean you should leave it behind. Because the longer it sits on the carpet, the harder it is to remove. Therefore, it’s better to deal with them as soon as possible.

2. Don’t Skip Maintenance Schedule

Considering how much traffic your carpets get regularly, they’re bound to accumulate dirt over time. Granted, they’re easy to overlook when other parts of the house demand much more time and resources to maintain. However, neglecting your carpets encourage dirt to propagate. When that happens, allergens will become widespread, potential disease-carrying bacteria might be created, foul odors could crop up over time, and so much more.

Although it seems tedious, regularly cleaning your carpets can easily get rid of most of the dirt in one fell swoop. That way, no dirt will be trapped within the fibers for a build-up. Not only that, but the chances of your carpet losing its form and color growing smaller as long as you stick to your cleaning schedule. Vacuuming in-between your cleaning procedures guarantee the carpet retains its cleanliness longer.

3. Don’t Use Strong Chemicals

Bleach, vinegar, and other chemicals that are just as strong might be effective solutions for removing tough stains on some surfaces. However, the same can’t be said for carpets when these chemicals are notorious for removing dyes and whitening vivid colors on carpet fibers. They can even damage the carpet itself.

4. Don’t Rub

While it may seem effective on the surface, rubbing the stain to clean it doesn’t work as you imagined. Because instead of getting the stain out, rubbing it off only pushes it further into the fibers. Instead, start from the outer edge of the stain and work your way to the center by dabbing or blotting. If the stain persists, dampen your cloth with water. But if you know what kind of stain you’re working with, use the appropriate solution for better removal.

5. Don’t Handle Serious Issues Yourself

As a homeowner, you’re bound to encounter countless situations that could test your capabilities. Water damage is one of those issues that only cause a huge headache for homeowners. Because considering how easy it is for water to travel everywhere, you can imagine how much damage it’ll cause. Since carpets are made of fabric, they’re one of the victims of water damage.

Even though they look dry on the surface, carpets have layers within them. Therefore, it’s not unlikely that your carpet is still damp even after hanging it to dry for most of the day. And when a carpet has wet spots, they enable mold to form. Let the professionals handle this level of carpet damage. After all, they have the equipment and expertise to resolve it. That way, you don’t have to risk ruining your carpet anymore.

6. Don’t Drag Furniture

Despite covering the flooring, carpets aren’t meant to receive too much stress, especially when something heavy is dragged across. Doing so will tear up the fiber and cause permanent marks all over the carpet. When that happens, your only option for removing them is to replace the carpet entirely.

Takeaway

Just like the rest of the furnishing your home has, carpets are meant to improve the residents’ quality of life indoors. However, considering how easy it is to overlook them, many homeowners probably don’t have the first clue about handling carpet care and maintenance. But knowing what you can and can’t do with your carpet is already a good first step towards extending its lifespan.